top of page
Search
Writer's pictureNathan Medeiros
Apr 6, 20224 min read

Balance

"Maintain a state of balance between physical acts and inner serenity, like a lute whose strings are finely tuned." Gautama Buddha


But why take my word for it? You shouldn't I am a single person who can research the internet and read books (Just a Joe Shmo). I urge people to do their own research on topics they are interested in. However this topic is relevant to my life, I used to fall for the “I do not have time” excuse every day of my life for 7+ years.



I would play videogames all the time. I would get home from school and jump right on, on my off days I would spend 8+ hours a day. What changed? I analyzed my life and realized I had about 7 good and plenty of bad memories for the 7+ years I was playing. Not from the games I was playing but as an effect in my personal relationships.

I would complain that I do not have enough time to do the things I like or do not have enough time to exercise and meditate.This is completely FALSE, everyone has the time to do whatever they find joy in.

The problem arises with motivation, it is NOT a lack of motivation to exercise or do the things we like to do. However we have greater motivation for one over the other. On average Americans spend 4.8hrs a DAY on mobile devices, receiving cell phones at the age of 11-12, with a small percentage receiving them as early as 1-2yrs old. Using our smartphones and being connected online has its own positives and negatives, however this depends on the applications we are using. If we are listening to audio books, doing research, or just stimulating the brain to learn something this is beneficial. But when we spend time scrolling on social media, unproductive videos, using it as a distraction to the world, and dating apps; research shows that people feel anxiety, stress, depression, and develop a sleep deficiency. You do not need to remove it from your entire life nor do it everyday. Just like food everything is fine in moderation.

It does not take much of your time, Only 65 minutes per day to change your attitude, your physique, and your mind. This means if you take 1/4th the time you spend on mobile devices you can significantly improve your life. That is 30 minutes for aerobic exercise, 20 minutes to read 10 pages, and 5 minutes to meditate. While this is the recommendation Jay Shetty the author of "Think Like a Monk" recommends to immerse yourself in one topic for a long period of time to really get the benefits. Shetty explains how you can meditate for 5 minutes a day but not receive the benefits (Book review coming soon). The benefits for these are as follows.


Meditation:

  • Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations,

  • Building skills to manage stress,

  • Increasing self-awareness,

  • Focusing on the present,

  • Reducing negative emotions,

  • Increasing imagination and creativity,

  • Increasing patience and tolerance.



Reading:

  • Improves brain connectivity,

  • Increases your vocabulary and comprehension,

  • Empowers you to empathize with other people,

  • Aids in sleep readiness,

  • Reduces stress,

  • Lowers blood sugar and heart rate,

  • Fights depression symptoms,

  • prevents cognitive decline.



Regular exercise:

  • May block negative thoughts or distract you from daily worries

  • Exercising with others provide an opportunity for increased social contact

  • Increased fitness may lift your mood and improve sleep patterns

  • Exercise may also change levels of chemicals in your brain, such as serotonin, endorphins and stress hormones.

  • Reduce your risk of a heart attack

  • Manage your weight better

  • Have a lower blood cholesterol level

  • Lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and some cancers

  • Have lower blood pressure

  • Have stronger bones, muscles and joints and lower risk of developing osteoporosis

  • Lower your risk of falls

  • Recover better from periods of hospitalization or bed rest

  • Feel better – with more energy, a better mood, feel more relaxed and sleep better.


You can always do more than the 65 minutes for example I go to the gym for 1-2hours 4x a week, I read/listen to a book for 1hr 4x a week and I meditate for 15 minutes 4x a week and still make time for my hobbies of cooking, playing guitar, and hiking.







Do not try to incorporate everything at once You WILL get overwhelmed and stop. I suggest being like a cherry blossom tree and take your time. A cherry blossom tree takes 5-7 years to reach lavish display. Pick one thing to improve on and work on it slowly for a few months until it becomes habitual. Then start a new one. I started engaging in regular exercise about 1 year ago because I wanted to look and feel better. After about 5-6 months of regular exercise I started reading to expand my knowledge. Just now another 4-5 months later I am starting to meditate to clear my mind and live mindfully. Like how the cherry blossom tree takes 5-7 years to reach full lavish display, take things slow. If it takes you 2 years to start developing these skills you will reap the benefits for the rest of your life, 2 years out of 60-90 years is worth the work.





Sources Include:



24 views0 comments

Comments

bottom of page